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Third-Grade Living Museum: History Comes to Life
LCA HIGHLIGHTS
THIRD GRADE LIVING MUSEUM: History
Comes to Life
By Sam Martin ’07 On May 13, the Lower School gym was transformed into a Living Museum.
For the past 11 years, LCA third-graders have embodied the subjects of their biography project by dressing up as influential Americans and presenting first-person speeches about their lives.
Livi Brock cheerfully waits to present her speech on Sacagawea.
Grant Flores is ready for take-off as Neil Armstrong. Evie Kelly is prepared to share her research on the life of Helen Keller.
Students begin by choosing a character to study from the book series Childhoods of Famous Americans. Among this year’s selections were Wilma Rudolph, Sacagawea, Walt Disney, Eleanor Roosevelt, Elizabeth Blackwell, and Neil Armstrong. After reading their biography, students conduct additional research. They then write a speech about the person’s life. At the Living Museum, they construct a backdrop, dress up in costume, and present in front of their families and friends.
“Each year I always have tears of joy when I see how much students have grown through this research project,” says third-grade teacher Jami Bicknell. “They go from being timid and doubtful to being courageous, bold, and confident.”
The children really had fun participating. Cole Cleveland says he enjoyed reading his biography with his family, and Josselyn Alcala liked learning her speech. But unsurprisingly, most said they enjoyed dressing up.
In addition to the scholastic objective of conducting biographical research, the goal of the project is for students to understand how both struggles and successes contribute to individuals’ achievements. By studying famous Americans from childhood through adulthood, students are able to see how God works out his plans in their lives.
